215 research outputs found
Efecto del tipo tinta y de las propiedades del papel estucado de alta gama en la calidad de impresión
En los últimos años, el gran desarrollo tecnológico experimentado por el sector de la impresión offset, unido a que cada vez los costes de producción son más ajustados, ha producido un aumento de la exigencia de la calidad del papel. La calidad de impresión de un papel estucado se evalúa mediante la densidad, las coordenadas colorimétricas y el brillo de la impresión. El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la influencia de las propiedades del papel estucado y de la tinta sobre las propiedades que definen la calidad de la impresión. Para ello se seleccionaron ocho papeles estucados (5 brillantes y 3 mates) y se determinaron la rugosidad y la energía libre de superficie de los mismos. Posteriormente se imprimieron con cantidades crecientes de tinta en un IGT, con dos tintas de color negro y dos cian. Por último se determinaron la densidad, el brillo y las coordenadas CIELAB de la impresión. La variación de densidad, brillo, L* a* y b* de la impresión con la tinta transferida presenta tendencias similares en todos los papeles, existiendo diferencias en la impresión en función del tipo de tinta. Las propiedades de impresión dependen principalmente de la lisura Bekk y de la componente polar de la energía de superficie
Influencia de la composición fibrosa y las propiedades estructurales del papel prensa en la densidad de la de impresión y la capacidad de secado.
En los últimos años, el papel prensa se fabrica mayoritariamente con fibra reciclada y las rotativas coldset se han convertido en unas instalaciones altamente tecnológicas. En esta nueva situación, los impresores son cada vez más exigentes con el papel que emplean. La calidad de impresión en el papel prensa se evalúa mediante la densidad y la capacidad de secado. El objetivo de este trabajo es establecer cómo influyen la composición fibrosa y las características estructurales del papel en la calidad de impresión. Se seleccionaron diversos papeles prensa, fabricados con fibra virgen y reciclada. Se determinaron las propiedades físicas del papel por métodos clásicos de laboratorio, la absorción de aceite mediante la medición de ángulos de contacto dinámicos y la estructura porosa empleando la porosimetría de intrusión de mercurio. Posteriormente los papeles se imprimieron en el equipo de laboratorio IGT con tinta negra y se evaluó la densidad óptica de la impresión y el repintado. Los resultados de los ensayos clásicos de laboratorio no aportan información sobre el comportamiento del papel durante la impresión. Sin embargo, el tamaño de los poros superficiales y la absorción de aceite explican la densidad de la impresión y la capacidad de secado
Evaluation of the Analgesic Efficacy of a Bioelectronic Device in Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain with Neuropathic Component. A Randomized Trial
Low energy pulsed electromagnetic signals (PEMS) therapy, in the field of bioelectronics,
has been suggested as a promising analgesic therapy with special interest in treating conditions
with poor response to pharmacotherapy. This study evaluated the effectiveness of PEMS therapy
on the treatment of chronic low back pain patients with a neuropathic component. A group of
64 individuals with such condition was allocated to a 2-week treatment period (10 twenty-minute
sessions on consecutive days) with an active PEMS therapy device or an inactive device in random
order. The pain was assessed on a visual analog scale, and the functional status was assessed using
the SF-12 questionnaire. The visual analog scale scores were lower after treatment than at baseline
but only in the group treated with the active device. According to the DN4 score, neuropathic pain
decreased in both experimental groups with respect to baseline, but this was only significant for the
group treated with the active device. Similarly, an improvement in the SF-12 and Medical Outcomes
Study (MOS) sleep scale components was reported. The study demonstrated that low-energy PEMS
therapy was efficient in reducing pain and improving function in chronic low back pain patients with
a neuropathic component
Massive and effective acorn dispersal into agroforestry systems byan overlooked vector, the Eurasian magpie (Pica pica)
Oak regeneration and the expansion of forested sites in Eurasia rely on acorn dispersal by animals,especially the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius). However, in open agroforestry systems where jaysare absent, such as old fields far from acorn sources, oak recruitment still occurs. We hypothesize that theEurasian magpie (Pica pica), an abundant corvid in this system, substitutes the jay in its seed dispersal function.By ringing 169 magpies, video recording >7500 acorn removal events with trail cameras, and radiotagging337 acorns, we quantified that (1) magpies cached 41&#-56% of the annual acorn production of Quercusilex trees in single caches on the ground; (2) breeding pairs, and especially males, were the main acorndispersers; (3) each breeding magpie cached 169&#-1372 acorns in 6 weeks; and (4) the effectiveness of dispersal(percentage of cached acorns resulting in seedlings) was 0.6&-2.4%, which (5) yielded a high densityof emerged seedlings (56&-439 seedlings/ha). We evidence that magpie could be a key species in the regenerationof oak agroforestry mosaics because they massively and effectively dispersed acorns. However, inour particular study site, effectiveness was low probably due to herbivory and summer drought stress (i.e.,a context limitation rather than an intrinsic limitation of the disperser). As the distributions of magpies andoaks overlap widely in Eurasia, effective acorn dispersal by magpies could have a significant role in largescaleoak forest recovery in strongly fragmented landscapes.Ministerio de Ciencia y TecnologíaREMEDINALUniversidad de AlcaláMinisterio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidade
Infratrochlear neuralgia: A prospective series of seven patients treated with infratrochlear nerve blocks
BACKGROUND:
Infratrochlear neuralgia is a recently described painful cranial neuropathy that causes pain in the internal angle of the orbit and the medial upper eyelid, the upper bridge of the nose and/or the lacrimal caruncle. We aim to present seven new cases of infratrochlear neuralgia treated with anaesthetic nerve blocks.
METHODS:
Over an 18-month period, we prospectively identified seven cases of infratrochlear neuralgia among the patients attending the Headache Unit in a tertiary hospital. Anaesthetic blocks were performed by injecting 0.5 cc of bupivacaine 0.5% at the emergence of the nerve above the internal canthus.
RESULTS:
All patients were women, and the mean age was 49.1 years (standard deviation, 17.9). The pain appeared at the internal angle of the orbit and/or the medial upper eyelid in six cases, and the whole territory of the infratrochlear nerve in one case. Six patients had continuous pain and one had episodes lasting 8–24 hours. All patients showed sensory disturbances within the painful area and tenderness upon palpation of the infratrochlear nerve. Nerve blocks resulted in complete and long-lasting relief in four patients and short-lasting relief in the other three patients.
CONCLUSIONS:
Infratrochlear neuralgia should be considered among the neuralgic causes of orbital and periorbital pain. Anaesthetic blocks may assist clinicians in the diagnosis and may also be an effective therapy
Impact of a home telehealth program after a hospitalized COPD exacerbation: a propensity score analysis
[Abstract] Introduction: Currently there is lack of data regarding the impact of a home telehealth program on readmissions and mortality rate after a COPD exacerbation-related hospitalization.
Objective: To demonstrate if a tele-monitoring system after a COPD exacerbation admission could have a favorable effect in 1-year readmissions and mortality in a real-world setting.
Methods: This is an observational study where we compared an intervention group of COPD patients treated after hospitalization that conveyed a telehealth program with a followance period of 1 year with a control group of patients evaluated during one year before the intervention began. A propensity-score analyses was developed to control for confounders. The main clinical outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality or COPD-related readmission.
Results: The analysis comprised 351 telemonitoring patients and 495 patients in the control group. The intervention resulted in less mortality or readmission after 12 months (35.2% vs. 45.2%; hazard ratio [HR] 0.71 [95% CI=0.56-0.91] 0.71 [95% CI=0.56-0.91; p=0.007). This benefit was maintained after the propensity score analysis (HR=0.66 [95% CI=0.51-0.84]). This benefit, which was seen from the first month of the study and during its whole duration, is maintained when mortality (HR=0.54; 95% CI=[0.36-0.82]) or readmission (subdistribution hazard ratio [SHR] 0.66; 95% CI=[0.50-0.86]) are analyzed separately.
Conclusion: Telemonitoring after a severe COPD exacerbation is associated with less mortality or readmissions at 12 months in a real world clinical setting
Defective endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contacts and bioenergetics in SEPN1-related myopathy
: SEPN1-related myopathy (SEPN1-RM) is a muscle disorder due to mutations of the SEPN1 gene, which is characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue leading to scoliosis and life-threatening respiratory failure. Core lesions, focal areas of mitochondria depletion in skeletal muscle fibers, are the most common histopathological lesion. SEPN1-RM underlying mechanisms and the precise role of SEPN1 in muscle remained incompletely understood, hindering the development of biomarkers and therapies for this untreatable disease. To investigate the pathophysiological pathways in SEPN1-RM, we performed metabolic studies, calcium and ATP measurements, super-resolution and electron microscopy on in vivo and in vitro models of SEPN1 deficiency as well as muscle biopsies from SEPN1-RM patients. Mouse models of SEPN1 deficiency showed marked alterations in mitochondrial physiology and energy metabolism, suggesting that SEPN1 controls mitochondrial bioenergetics. Moreover, we found that SEPN1 was enriched at the mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM), and was needed for calcium transients between ER and mitochondria, as well as for the integrity of ER-mitochondria contacts. Consistently, loss of SEPN1 in patients was associated with alterations in body composition which correlated with the severity of muscle weakness, and with impaired ER-mitochondria contacts and low ATP levels. Our results indicate a role of SEPN1 as a novel MAM protein involved in mitochondrial bioenergetics. They also identify a systemic bioenergetic component in SEPN1-RM and establish mitochondria as a novel therapeutic target. This role of SEPN1 contributes to explain the fatigue and core lesions in skeletal muscle as well as the body composition abnormalities identified as part of the SEPN1-RM phenotype. Finally, these results point out to an unrecognized interplay between mitochondrial bioenergetics and ER homeostasis in skeletal muscle. They could therefore pave the way to the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic drugs for SEPN1-RM and for other disorders in which muscle ER-mitochondria cross-talk are impaired
Defective endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondria contacts and bioenergetics in SEPN1-related myopathy
SEPN1-related myopathy (SEPN1-RM) is a muscle disorder due to mutations of the SEPN1 gene, which is characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue leading to scoliosis and life-threatening respiratory failure. Core lesions, focal areas of mitochondria depletion in skeletal muscle fibers, are the most common histopathological lesion. SEPN1-RM underlying mechanisms and the precise role of SEPN1 in muscle remained incompletely understood, hindering the development of biomarkers and therapies for this untreatable disease. To investigate the pathophysiological pathways in SEPN1-RM, we performed metabolic studies, calcium and ATP measurements, super-resolution and electron microscopy on in vivo and in vitro models of SEPN1 deficiency as well as muscle biopsies from SEPN1-RM patients. Mouse models of SEPN1 deficiency showed marked alterations in mitochondrial physiology and energy metabolism, suggesting that SEPN1 controls mitochondrial bioenergetics. Moreover, we found that SEPN1 was enriched at the mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM), and was needed for calcium transients between ER and mitochondria, as well as for the integrity of ER-mitochondria contacts. Consistently, loss of SEPN1 in patients was associated with alterations in body composition which correlated with the severity of muscle weakness, and with impaired ER-mitochondria contacts and low ATP levels. Our results indicate a role of SEPN1 as a novel MAM protein involved in mitochondrial bioenergetics. They also identify a systemic bioenergetic component in SEPN1-RM and establish mitochondria as a novel therapeutic target. This role of SEPN1 contributes to explain the fatigue and core lesions in skeletal muscle as well as the body composition abnormalities identified as part of the SEPN1-RM phenotype. Finally, these results point out to an unrecognized interplay between mitochondrial bioenergetics and ER homeostasis in skeletal muscle. They could therefore pave the way to the identification of biomarkers and therapeutic drugs for SEPN1-RM and for other disorders in which muscle ER-mitochondria cross-talk are impaired
International conference on the healthy effect of virgin olive oil
Ageing represents a great concern in developed countries because the number of people involved and the pathologies related with it, like atherosclerosis, morbus Parkinson, Alzheime's disease, vascular dementia, cognitive decline, diabetes and cancer. Epidemiological studies suggest that a Mediterranean diet (which is rich in virgin olive oil) decreases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The Mediterranean diet, rich in virgin olive oil, improves the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as the lipoprotein profile, blood pressure, glucose metabolism and antithrombotic profile. Endothelial function, inflammation and oxidative stress are also positively modulated. Some of these effects are attributed to minor components of virgin olive oil. Therefore, the definition of the Mediterranean diet should include virgin olive oil. Different observational studies conducted in humans have shown that the intake of monounsaturated fat may be protective against age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease. Microconstituents from virgin olive oil are bioavailable in humans and have shown antioxidant properties and capacity to improve endothelial function. Furthermore they are also able to modify the haemostasis, showing antithrombotic properties. In countries where the populations fulfilled a typical Mediterranean diet, such as Spain, Greece and Italy, where virgin olive oil is the principal source of fat, cancer incidence rates are lower than in northern European countries. The protective effect of virgin olive oil can be most important in the first decades of life, which suggests that the dietetic benefit of virgin olive oil intake should be initiated before puberty, and maintained through life. The more recent studies consistently support that the Mediterranean diet, based in virgin olive oil, is compatible with a healthier ageing and increased longevity. However, despite the significant advances of the recent years, the final proof about the specific mechanisms and contributing role of the different components of virgin olive oil to its beneficial effects requires further investigations. © 2005 Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Services provided by birds (high-mobile link species) in farmland and forest mosaics: forest regeneration and plague regulation
Este trabajo ha sido financiado con fondos de los proyectos
CICYT Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (CGL2007−60533/BOS,
CGL2010−18312/BOS) y del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2014−53308−P), de la red REMEDINAL (S−0505/AMB/
0335, S2009 AMB−1783, S2013/MAE−2719 y TE-CM S2018/EMT-
4338), de la Universidad de Alcalá (CCG2014/BIO−002) y del MAGRAMA y la Fundación Biodiversidad a través de la Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas. GGS fue financiado con una beca FPU (AP2006−00891) y SMH por una beca FPI
(BES−2008−006630), ambas del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia.
LMB fue financiada por una beca FPI (BES-2015-075276) del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. NM fue financiada por una beca de la
Universidad de Alcalá. ABL agradece ayudas postdoctorales Juan
de la Cierva (FJCI-2015-23687) y de la Fundación Alexander von
Humboldt. Agradecemos la colaboración de la Dirección Xeral de
Conservación da Natureza de la Xunta de Galicia por las facilidades
para desarrollar las investigaciones realizadas en esta Comunidad y
de las bodegas de Abadía Retuerta y Martín Berdugo y de Haciendas
Bio. Finalmente, agradecemos la contribución de un revisor anónimo
que mejoró la versión original de este artículo.Los elementos que soportan las funciones y servicios de los ecosistemas son insuficientemente conocidos, mermando nuestra capacidad para planificar la conservación, restauración y manejo de los ecosistemas. Entre dichos elementos, el papel de la avifauna es especialmente relevante al ser especies de gran movilidad (high mobile link species) que conectan distintas unidades del paisaje. Este trabajo analiza servicios ecosistémicos importantes dependientes de interacciones biológicas mediadas por la avifauna en mosaicos agroforestales. Abordamos tres objetivos específicos: el papel de (1) los córvidos en la dispersión y reclutamiento de quercíneas, (2) la avifauna insectívora en la regulación de plagas en cultivos leñosos y (3) las aves rapaces en la regulación de avifauna-plaga en viñedos. Nuestros resultados evidencian que la avifauna realiza funciones y servicios claves para la regeneración forestal y la regulación de plagas en mosaicos agroforestales. Identificamos especies que se desconocía que realizaban una función relevante, en particular la urraca (Pica pica), cuya actividad resulta en una dispersión efectiva de nueces y bellotas, y el abejero europeo (Pernis apivorus), con un elevado consumo de avispa asiática (Vespa velutina). La instalación de cajas-nido en cultivos leñosos aumenta las poblaciones de aves insectívoras que regulan plagas; sin embargo, la capacidad de regulación de las plagas es moderada y depende del contexto ambiental o estudio de caso. Las rapaces diurnas existentes en los paisajes estudiados contribuyen al control de plagas agrícolas como la del estornino negro (Sturnus unicolor). Proponemos integrar los servicios que proporcionan las aves en la ordenación del territorio para alcanzar modelos de desarrollo más sostenibles.The elements that support functions and ecosystem services are not well known yet, and this gap reduces our capacity to plan the conservation, restoration, and management of ecosystems. Among these elements, the role of avifauna is especially relevant as birds are high-mobile link species that connect different landscape units. This article analyzes important ecosystem services driven by biological interactions that are mediated by birds in farmland and forest mosaics. We propose three specific goals: to assess the role of (1) corvids in the dispersal and recruitment of oak species, (2) insectivorous birds in pest regulation of woody crops, and (3) raptors in regulation of plague birds in vineyards. Our results show that the avifauna performs key functions and services for forest regeneration and pest regulation in agroforestry mosaics. We identified species that were not known to perform relevant functions, particularly the magpie (Pica pica) and its effective dispersion of nuts and acorns, and the honey buzzard (Pernis apivorus) and its high consumption of Asian black hornet (Vespa velutina). The installation of nest-boxes in woody crops increases the populations of insectivorous birds that regulate pests; however, the capacity of pest control is moderate and depends on the environmental context or case study. The diurnal raptors thriving in the studied landscapes contribute to the control of agricultural pests such as the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor). We propose to integrate the services provided by birds in landscape planning to achieve more sustainable development systems.Financiado con fondos de los proyectos CICYT Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (CGL2007−60533/BOS, CGL2010−18312/BOS) y del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2014−53308−P), de la red REMEDINAL (S−0505/AMB/ 0335, S2009 AMB−1783, S2013/MAE−2719 y TE-CM S2018/EMT- 4338), de la Universidad de Alcalá (CCG2014/BIO−002) y del MAGRAMA y la Fundación Biodiversidad a través de la Fundación Internacional para la Restauración de Ecosistemas. GGS fue financiado con una beca FPU (AP2006−00891) y SMH por una beca FPI (BES−2008−006630), ambas del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. LMB fue financiada por una beca FPI (BES-2015-075276) del Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología. NM fue financiada por una beca de la Universidad de Alcalá. ABL agradece ayudas postdoctorales Juan de la Cierva (FJCI-2015-23687) y de la Fundación Alexander von Humbold
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